WATCH: Two 18-year-old students in Montreal have been charged with terrorist offences. The charges come as Canada’s spy agency says they’re been a dramatic spike in Canadians joining the fight. Vassy Kapelos reports.
MONTREAL — Two Montreal teens arrested last week over concerns they were about to commit a terrorist act now face serious charges.
The two 18-year-olds appeared in court on Monday; each face four terrorism-related charges: attempting to leave Canada to participate in activity of a terrorist group; facilitating terrorist activity; commission of an offence for a terrorist group; and using explosives.
The suspects, Sabrine Djaermane and El Mahdi Jamali, will remain behind bars until their bail hearing.
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Watch Above: Domenic Fazioli reports from Montreal
Quebec’s Crown prosecutor told Global News the pair were suspected of planning to set off explosives “in the Montreal area.”
According to a statement released by the RCMP, “the charges result from a short police investigation launched after information was received from the community.
“The investigation showed that Sabrine Djermane and El Mahdi Jamali were planning to leave the country to commit a terrorist act abroad.”
Police also confirmed that the investigation was ongoing, as investigators try to determine whether there are any further “individuals associated to the accused who could have conspired with them.”
Prosecutor Lyn Decarie said the case is expected to return to court next Friday to fix a date for the bail hearing.
Djaremane has pleaded not guilty to all charges, while Jamali has not yet entered his plea.
READ MORE: Is it fair to link Adil Charkaoui’s classes to radicalized Montreal teens?
Political response
In a statement, the Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Steven Blaney, said that the government was determined to confront terrorism threats in Canada and he commended the RCMP for its vigilance.
“Together our efforts will serve to protect Canadians from terrorists who wish to cause harm and threaten our freedom.
“Our Government is determined to confront the terrorist threat at home.”
“That is why we introduced the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015 to give our law enforcement and national security agencies the tools they need to better protect Canadians against these ever-evolving threats of jihadi terrorists.”
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Collège de Maisonneuve connection
The teens were students at Montreal’s Collège de Maisonneuve, where, in late February, several other students from the college were believed to have joined militants in Syria.
WATCH: Six Canadians suspected to have joined ISIS
The father of 18-year-old Bilel Zouaidia, one of the six teenagers who left Canada in February, said his son took Arabic and religious courses through Adil Charkaoui’s École Les Compagnons.
The classes were held at Montreal’s Collège de Maisonneuve, where three of the other teens were also enrolled.
WATCH: Quebec college head on radicalized students
After first cancelling Charkaoui’s rental agreement to stop his classes from being offered on its campus, the Collège de Maisonneuve then retracted, saying it had no legal grounds to cancel its contract, as nothing inappropriate was found in the courses offered.
Other instances
In late February, Merouane Ghalmi, a 22-year-old amateur kick boxer, appeared in Montreal court after RCMP said it feared he would commit a terrorism offence.
READ MORE: Case postponed for young man RCMP fears will commit a terrorist act
A summons was issued for Ghalmi, requiring him to appear before a Quebec Court judge to sign a peace bond.
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